


SNS Chain Fic

by Hemera7437, JustAnAvidReader, Lohrendrell, WhenTheFoxGRINS, Yuineko



Category: Naruto
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Collab between SNS shippers, Elves, Gen, M/M, SNS Chain Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-13
Updated: 2017-10-24
Packaged: 2018-12-01 20:46:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11494434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hemera7437/pseuds/Hemera7437, https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustAnAvidReader/pseuds/JustAnAvidReader, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lohrendrell/pseuds/Lohrendrell, https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhenTheFoxGRINS/pseuds/WhenTheFoxGRINS, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yuineko/pseuds/Yuineko
Summary: Naruto is the Prince of the House of Uzumaki, one of the oldest and strongest elf houses in history. His older sister, Karin, is the Princess Heiress, the one who will someday lead the realm of Uzushiogakure towards prosperity and harmony, as her ancestors have done for millennia already. However, Princess Karin fled Uzushiogakure as an attestment of her rebellion towards her own future, and now it’s up to Naruto to find her and bring her home.





	1. The Lost Princess

**Author's Note:**

> This is a collab a few SNS shippers started on Discord. Each chapter will be written by a different author, and in the end of the chain, we will have a full story full of SNS feels and awesome writing! It's still under a working title. You can also follow updates on tumblr, under the tag [SNS chain fic](http://tumblr.com/tagged/SNS-chain-fic).
> 
> If you'd like to join the SNS Discord, just contact [maries](https://archiveofourown.org/users/maries/profile) or send her a message on [tumblr.](https://dobe-and-teme.tumblr.com/post/160741423783/discord) Don't be shy, we'd love to have you there!
> 
> Please enjoy and tell us your thoughts!
> 
>  
> 
> **Chapter 1 by Lohrendrell.**

The sun was mild in that afternoon, the warmth of its light not unrelentingly cruel as in summertime nor increasingly absent as in the fall, before it hid completely behind the angry winter clouds that shook the waters surrounding Uzushiogakure, the Realm of Whirlwinds, into monsters that gave the land its name. Today, it was just perfectly constant and soft, allowing for the springtime winds to shake the trees and its leaves just enough to make soft, comforting whooshing noises.

In a meadow full of marsh marigolds, just beside the tall live oaks that formed a makeshift entrance to the realm, Naruto, an elf of Uzushiogakure, the prince of the House of Uzumaki, slept seemingly without a care in the world, his arms and legs spread along the plants, crushing some flowers as he turned in his dreams, snoring his way into the afternoon.

It was only when his sensitive pointy ears capture the rhythmic sound of paws approaching that Naruto woke up. He immediately recognized the gentle, almost imperceptible but steady stride of his giant fox companion, Kurama. He yawned and stretched, only opening his eyes when Kurama sniffled at his face.

“Wake up, lazy mutt,” Kurama said, not unfriendly, and licked Naruto to force him to get up.

“Ugh, ew,” Naruto complained, but he was laughing, “you're disgusting.” On this size, Kurama’s tongue was larger than Naruto's torso. The elf passed a hand through his hair, feeling it wet and sticky, and his laughter faltered. “Ew, Kurama!”

Kurama wasn't affected by Naruto’s scream in the least. He laid down on the meadow beside the elf prince. “It’s nearly sundown,” he pointed, calmly, resting his head on one of his pawns.

“Right,” Naruto answered, knowing what Kurama meant. He left the fox resting and went to the nearest river, where he washed off the saliva from his hair, face and neck. Then, Naruto climbed easily one of the live oaks and settled in one of its thickest branches, and waited.

The Realm of Whirlwinds, or Uzushiogakure, in the tongue of Naruto’s ancestors, was the home of the Uzumaki, one of the oldest and longest lineage of elves. Their realm was located on the far east of the continent, in the Shrapnels, as it was called by some, for the many islands that seem to have been broken, shards of land that were disconnected from the continent to form the Realm of Whirlwinds. In truth, Uzushiogakure wasn’t made of islands, but of a far and rich stretch of land that appeared and disappeared as the tide lowered and rose. The Uzumaki never bothered to correct the foreigners’ assumptions about their home—only they knew the true geography of their land, and it served to provide both their protection and their isolation.

The nearly constant whirlwinds that were so well known were the perfect truth, however. Uzushiogakure was located where the salty water from the ocean, to the east, meet the fresh waters from the Great Rivers coming from the west. That, along with the furious winds the ocean brought daily, were what cause the fiery maelstroms their home was known for. When the tide was high, the eddies were so violent it was nearly impossible to cross them. To all humans and most elves, it was impossible; only the Uzumaki held the secrets to sail and navigate along the whirlwinds.

The tide was lowering now, so the true vastness of the land was starting to appear. The salt-waterlilies gave way to the small salt-water myrtle bushes, usually drowned under the water when the tide was high, that indicated the stretch of land that connected the entrance to the realm and the continent. From the tall tree, Naruto waited until he could see, from a long distance away, the caravan sent by his mother three weeks ago coming back home.

“They haven’t got to her,” Naruto announced, loud enough that Kurama would hear him. He knew that just by looking at the caravan coming through the passageway.

They were sent to recover Karin, Naruto’s older sister, but none of the elves neither the royal carriage seem harmed, so they didn’t find her. The caravan would be in pieces if they had, and Naruto would be able to hear his sister’s screams and curses from that far away.

He sighed. It had been nearly a year since Princess Karin Uzumaki, the Heiress, disappeared from the realm. The possibility of kidnapping had been ruled out a long time ago, and so Naruto knew the search would be much more difficult than if it were the case of a mere external threat to the realm.

Naruto knew his sister well. If she left in the middle of the night, when the tide was high and a storm was approaching, it was because she didn’t want to come back. She left behind a letter that was only found weeks after her departure— _‘I can’t do it. That is not me’_. It made her wishes clear enough. It was the ninth caravan sent in search for her. Their parents had sent letters to many other elf realms, pleading to inform if they ever saw a glimpse of the Uzumaki Heiress, but so far they received no answer.

Naruto was waiting beside the giant live oaks, Kurama by his side, when the caravan entered the realm. “Welcome back,” he greeted in ancient tongue, in a perfect example of the manners of a prince. “I’m relieved you all haven’t been harmed.”

“My prince. Thank you.” Nagato, the head of the caravan and a distant cousin of the prince, took Naruto’s hand and bent down to give it a kiss. The other elves followed suit. “We’re deeply sorry. We weren’t able to find the princess.”

Naruto shook his head, dismissing the reverence and giving his brothers-by-lineage a grin. “You must be starving. Come on, there’s a banquet waiting for you, good news or not.”

“Thank you.”

They walked to the center of Uzushiogakure, where the family branches, including the royal family, set their homes. Kurama was nice for a change and helped carry the party belongings, their swords and archery and the remains of fruit bread in their bags. As they approached the heart of the realm, Kurama’s size decreased, until he was only the size of a dire wolf from the north.

Most of the homes in Uzushiogakure were simple wooden cabins built over the branches of the giant oak trees that grew there. The Uzumaki Royal Home was similar to every other home of their clan, only slightly larger, its rooms spanning through branches of three different trees. Wood and rope bridges connected the rooms of the royal family home, as well as the adjacent cabin used for clan meetings and rituals. It’s there where they eat their meals along with the other families of the clan.

When Naruto and the search party arrived to the heart of the realm, the sun was already down and the cabin was lit up with the special candles the Uzumaki produce—its fire didn’t go off even at the roughest of winds; throughout the continent, it was considered a treasure, and the Uzumaki always found good deals in trading those candles.

Inside, Naruto’s mom and dad were waiting for them with a banquet, as promised. The Queen and the King Uzumaki received them with the usual warmth the royal family always received every member of their House. Nagato and his companion immediately bent down and prepared for debriefing, but Kushina stopped them. “Leave the reports for tomorrow,” Kushina told them, even as the lack of news of her daughter and heir crushed her, Naruto could see. “Let’s eat!”

The night ended in the lightest way possible, every member of the House coming to dine and greet the companion. There was music to sing the greetings, kisses of lovers that had missed each other, and laughter.

The next morning, the same cabin didn’t hold the same light mood as before. Naruto woke up early, dressed in the news garment his mom sewed for him (she had been sewing a lot lately) and attended the debriefing-cum-breakfast, as expected of the prince.

“We went as far to the west as we possibly could,” Nagato was saying when Naruto enters. He kissed his mother’s head before sitting down by her side. “We even went beyond the Shadow Caves of the Nara House, thinking that she might have gone to the other side of the continent to sail to the westest of west. But there was no sign of her, My Queen. Our Senju brothers didn’t hear a thing on our way there and back. We even watched a couple of human villages on our way—no sign of the princess.”

The queen didn’t receive the news too well. There was no sign of the happy, boisterous lady that partied all night long with her House last night, only a tired woman, sick from months of missing her child.

Naruto reached to take his mom’s hand, which made Kushina give him a tiny smile.

His dad who led the meeting that morning, thanking Nagato and his companion and calling the other elves in the realm to attend the meeting. Several red-haired elves appeared immediately, males and females alike, warriors, archers, trackers and healers, to prepare for the next caravan under the command of the queen.

“It’s useless,” the queen interrupted the reunion, caressing Naruto’s hand that she was holding while staring, seemingly distracted, at the map stretched along the table. Several landmarks had been crossed out, every place the search parties have searched so far.

All the elves stopped, falling into silence, as the queen spoke. Except Minato. “Kushina, what—”

“It’s no use, Minato. Our daughter doesn’t want to be found, haven’t you noticed? Our House is doomed.”

“We can’t lose hope…”

“Eleven months,” Kushina said, voice elevating against her husband. The grip on Naruto’s hand tightened, but Naruto didn’t push his hand back. “Eleven months without my daughter, my heiress, the future of our House, and you tell me that I can’t lose hope? I know my daughter. I read her letter. Karin won’t come back by force, someone needs to sit her down and talk to her.”

“Who?” his dad asked, but his eyes showed that he already knew the answer. “You’re thinking of leaving the realm? Have you gone crazy?”

“Yes! Yes! I’m crazy! I’m going crazy after so long without my daughter, can’t you understand that?”

“Kushina!” It was one of the few times Naruto had seen his dad raise his voice against his mom. “What are you even saying? If you think I’m going to sit here and watch my— _our_ daughter, your heir, disappear without doing nothing, you are the one who doesn’t know me!”

“And what are you going to do?”

“Someone needs to look for her, no matter how long it takes—”

“Who? You? We have risked all our brothers and sisters, and my daughter doesn’t want to be found. I ask you, Minato, who? Who are you going to send that can possibly do a better job than our best trackers?” The queen was yelling now, standing up and towering over the king, even as he was taller than her, and several elves tried to calm her down, offering their services, offering ideas, but she didn’t listen, just yelled, tears threatening to wash down her face. “Our House is doomed! Doomed! Doomed!”

As a matriarchal society, the House of Uzumaki held on to the Queen’s hands to lead them. As the Heiress, it fell upon Princess Karin to assume the leadership of the House once their mother passed. It would still be a long time for it to happen, but still, it was Karin’s duty to learn how to lead, how to be the Queen the Uzumaki deserved. There was only one other instance when the Uzumaki were left without an heir temporarily: when his great-aunt Mito resigned her role and married for love in the Senju House. Thankfully, it was the beginning of a time of peace, and Naruto’s mom was still a toddler, barely thirty years old, and assumed the throne successfully after her aunt.

Karin didn’t sacrifice herself for another greater good, or for political reasons; she didn’t die for war, didn’t leave for love. Karin simply abandoned her House without so much as an explanation, left her House, her family, her brothers and sisters, and that could not be tolerated.

Without a Princess Heiress, the House of Uzumaki was essentially without future. Naruto was the youngest of their kind, so there was no cousin younger than him to assume Karin’s duty at such a tender age enough to truly assimilate her role. If the princess weren’t found and brought back, the prince were to marry in one of the closest Elf Houses of their lineage—the Senju or the Namikaze, probably; perhaps the Yamanaka—and so the History of the House of Uzumaki would come to an end.

Naruto couldn’t allow it.

“I’ll go,” Naruto said, impulsively.

Once more, the room fell silent, all eyes now upon Naruto.

“Absolutely not,” his dad interrupted the silence once again. “Are you going crazy as well? I won’t allow it,” he was practically yelling now, but even that was not enough to muffle the queen’s quietly, almost whispered, “All right.”

“What?” The king yelled. “No. Naruto, no. You’re only two hundred and nineteen years old, barely a child. I will _not_ allow it.”

“I allow it,” the queen interrupted, and that finally shuts the king up. The Queen’s words were always final.

Kushina grabbed both of her son’s hands, squeezing tightly, and he stood in front of her. “You will go, my son. Take your companion fox with you, along with my wishes and prayers. I’ll send letters to the other Realms pleading for your protection. Bring your sister back.”

Naruto nodded, silent under the wet, desperate eyes of his mom and the worried, almost hurt gaze of his dad. The deed was settled.

The next morning, the queen entered the prince’s room as he was preparing for his mission. “My son,” his mom said, taking Naruto’s face in both of her hands. She was giving her the first hopeful smile she had shown in eleven months, and this was the last string of strength Naruto needed before partying ways.

“I won’t disappoint you,” he told his mom.

Her smile widened. “You never have.” She reached under her vests and took a small wooden box, adorned with golden laces and Karin’s name written in ancient tongue in a fine letter, in pure gold. She explained it was for Naruto to give his sister on the name of their mom when he found her. “Don’t forget to come back,” Kushina finished, almost as an afterthought, as if she feared for a second that Naruto wouldn’t. “Bring your sister with you, please.”

“I will,” he promised, and kissed his mom’s forehead before leaving.

Kurama was waiting for him when he jumped down from his chambers on the oak tree, and so was his dad. “Dad,” Naruto started to say, wanting to apologize to his father and explain his actions. Karin was the princess heiress, and Naruto was her brother, her warrior, her protector. It was his duty to stay by Karin’s side when she became the Queen, and even before that, as her brother. He missed his sister so much, and he didn’t want to see his mom suffering anymore.

He will fulfill his destiny and help Karin fulfill hers, no matter what.

“I know.” Minato didn’t give him a chance to explain. “Just… Just be careful, is all I ask.”

Naruto nodded. They hugged. Minato helped him load his belongings, his sword, a couple of mantles and a few bags filled with fruit bread, on Kurama’s back.

“Be careful, son,” his dad told him again, “I’ll wait for you. For you both.”

Naruto smiled and waved one last time as Kurama descended the path away from the heart of the realm, in the direction of the continent.

They didn’t even have to wait for the tide to lower because Kurama assumed his full size to travel. In a little over two hours they crossed the entirety of the Realm of Whirlwinds, a trip that usually took half a day. Naruto was almost dozing off on Kurama’s back when the fox barked, “All right, kid. That’s enough.”

Naruto found himself falling face-first into the ground. “Ha, ha, funny. Very funny.” When he got up, was to find his belongings on the ground and Kurama the size of a big cat. “Aw, no, not plushie size” Naruto complained. “You have to carry me!”

Kurama didn’t so much as regard him, laying down on the earth and resting his head on his pawns. “I’m tired,” he said, but Naruto knew that he was lying. “Let me rest for a while.”

Naruto huffed, but he knew there was no point in discussing with a lazy fox. He collected his things and put them carefully on his back, his sword on his belt, and lifted Kurama up on his arms. “You’re lucky you’re cute like this,” Naruto teased, to which Kurama scratched Naruto’s finger with his claws just enough to hurt, but not to bleed.

Naruto looked ahead on the vast land in front of him. He knew by instinct where he was: just beyond the Realm of Whirlwinds—home—where the winds gets milder and the vegetation grows drier and drier. He had enough time to be educated on the maps of the continent growing up, so he made a quick scan of the land in his head.

To a few kilometers from where he stood, in The Neck, was the House of Senju, their closest brothers by blood and home of his great-aunt Mito. The Senju were the Key Lords of the south and the north; their landbase was the only possible pathway connecting the south and the north, so, even though there were many and different clans of creatures in both hemispheres, it was the Senju’s hands to hold the market trades and diplomacy of the different folk. A little northwest from there was the House of Namikaze, where his dad was from and where Naruto got his looks from as well; he spent several summers there as a child. Their neighbors were the Elves of Yamanaka. To the far west, were the Houses of Nara, Sarutobi and Akimichi, along with several human villages. And the north was home to the Uchiha, the Hyuuga and several other small clans of different folk, a land that seems to be perpetually at war and that Naruto had never visited before.


	2. The dark stranger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a collab a few SNS shippers started on Discord. Each chapter will be written by a different author, and in the end of the chain, we will have a full story full of SNS feels and awesome writing! It's still under a working title. You can also follow updates on tumblr, under the tag [SNS chain fic](https://www.tumblr.com/tagged/sns-chain-fic).
> 
> If you'd like to join the SNS Discord, just contact [maries](https://archiveofourown.org/users/maries/profile) or send her a message on [tumblr](https://dobe-and-teme.tumblr.com/post/160741423783/discord). Don't be shy, we'd love to have you there!
> 
>  
> 
> **Chapter 2 by Hemera7437.**

The task Naruto had taken upon himself isn’t easy. If his sister doesn’t want to be found, she won’t. The eleven months she was missing were only a further proof of that. To find her, Naruto would have to think like her. 

He is absentmindedly petting cat-sized Kurama’s fur thinking about his options.

Nagato’s group had traveled west and found no trace of Karin and the Senju of the south hadn’t heard from her either.

The last possible option was the north. An uncharted territory. He couldn’t know what expected him there, but it was probably where his sister was. She loves the mystery, the unknown, and by traveling to the north she practically ensured that she wouldn’t be found for a long time.

Naruto starts walking to the lands of Senju. His internal compass tells him where he is and where to go to find them. The Senju are a good starting point. He could stock up his provisions and maybe get to know a bit about what the north and its inhabitants are like. Besides, the Key Lords of the north and south would at least pave the way for his further travels.

That would solve one of his problems but it didn't help him in finding his sister. She could be very stubborn if she wanted to and she always had been good in hiding. He stares down at the crumpled letter Karin left behind. He thought that it may give him a clue and had taken it with him. But as of now, the small piece of paper is only staring at him mockingly as if it were sentient and knows that his search will be fruitless.

As he thinks about it, to find something - or in this case  _ someone  _ \- that is lost, one sometimes has to stop searching. Besides, his mother had literally said ‘someone needed to look for the princess no matter how long it takes’. And Naruto decides on doing exactly that. Karin won’t be found by a caravan with a time limit after all.

“Alright, Kurama! Let’s do this!”

The sleeping furball in his arm opened an eye and glanced up to him.

“Where to? Or are we starting without a plan  _ again _ ?”

But Naruto isn’t deterred by the fox’s obvious sarcasm. “North! We will relax and see where the fates lead us to! I always wanted to explore the north!”

“What about the princess, Kit?”

“She doesn’t want to be found, so I won’t search. It saves time and energy and I usually find lost things that way!”

“That is a stupid approach to the problem,” Kurama sighs. “Well it’s not like I expected anything different.” He curled back into a ball.

“Let’s go!”

\---

They reach the lands of Senju pretty soon. After Kurama is well rested again, he even agrees on carrying the young elf.

Once arrived, they first search for the nearest marketplace to find provisions and information. Kurama is now cat-sized again and tucked in the pack Naruto is carrying so that the blonde has his arms free.

After getting food and water for their journey, Naruto starts listening around for the local gossip. Whatever he can find out about the north could be important.

“Why don't you just ask someone, Kit?” Kurama deadpans.

Naruto stares at him. “Do you mean it could be that easy?”

“Of course, you idiot! You aren't the first to travel north and you could probably even get a  _ map _ or something! This isn't some sort of secret mission where everyone is against you. You are just searching for your sister, that's not harming anyone. “

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. He hadn't thought about asking, at all. Sometimes he really asks himself what he would do without his grumpy fox.

So they find a seller for maps and ask for maps and information of the north. The human man is very eager to fill them in on everything. Apparently he himself has just come back from the north.

He tells them that the north is a rocky region, with mountain ranges and hidden paths, so much unlike here. Naruto is intrigued. He has never been in the mountains, all he knows are even plains and forests. Mountains sound so exciting!

The north is mostly home to the Uchiha and Hyuuga, two clans that perpetually seem at war with each other. What started the feud is unknown.

“So what are the Uchiha anyways? I have heard they are from an entirely different folk?”

However, the map seller has apparently never seen an Uchiha in his life even while traveling their lands.

“They are a very private clan. The Uchiha live high in the mountains where you can't go without the proper equipment and a real guide. Their homes are built directly into the rocks of the mountains, I have heard.”

Naruto thanks the man for his help and steps out of the shop. At least they got a map now, even though it looks incomplete with white spots all over.

“It's a start, Kurama!” Naruto cheers. “We can worry about how we find our way later! And maybe we even find the Uchiha! Wouldn't that be fun?”

Not looking where he is going, Naruto runs into a warm wall not a minute later. He had run into a person in his fixation on the map.

“I’m so very sorry! I haven't seen you!”

The man only stares at him. He is clad in only black robes and has a hood on. He looks intimidating and Naruto gets nervous under his intense stare.

“O-oi! I apologized already, why are you looking at me all evil like?”

The man blinks. “Hn.” Then he turns around and continues on his way as if Naruto doesn't exist.

Naruto grumbles. This was not how it's supposed to go. But he had apologized, if the man didn't accept it, it wasn't his problem.

He forgets about the incident very quickly as he spots a ramen place. Now Naruto wouldn't be Naruto if he went by a ramen place without eating there.

A few minutes later and he is sitting in front of a large steaming bowl, Kurama sleeping to his feet.

He is about to dig into the food when a dark figure slips on the stool next to him. It is the same man he ran into earlier.

Not knowing how to react to that. Naruto says, “Hey,” and immediately scolds himself for being so lame.

The man looks at him bemusedly.

“Hey.”

Then there is tense silence between them. Naruto looks at his bowl. He may as well just dig in when the stranger isn't going to say anything.

He took no more than one bite of the delicious ramen when the man speaks.

“You are searching for the Uchiha.”

“Huh?” Naruto asks perplexed.

“Earlier before you ran into me, you were talking about finding the Uchiha.”

The dark eyes of the man still make Naruto slightly queasy.

“O-oh. Yeah, I’m traveling to the north and I thought I’d meet some of the folk there…” Naruto trails off, not knowing what the stranger expects of him. He eyes the steaming food desperately searching for a way to escape the awkward conversation.

The man turns his dark gaze away from Naruto and orders food for himself. The young elf is relieved that he is no longer the center of the man’s attention. The next few minutes they spend eating in silence. Naruto is revelling in the fact that the ramen tastes fantastic and he orders another bowl completely forgetting about the stranger next to him.

“You know, I could guide you,” the man suddenly says and Naruto chokes on his food, not expecting the man to talk to him again.

Under coughs he finally gets out a choked, “Why?”

The man seems utterly unimpressed by the blonde's antics.

“I am traveling to the north too. I can take you with me. I know the ways and paths better than this map full of blank spots.”

The offer is very appealing. The man seems to know what he's talking about.

Still, Naruto is a little weary about his intentions.

“Why would you do that? You don't even know me…”

“Call it… Curiosity.”

The man gives no further explanation. Naruto nods slowly.

“Okay… I guess it's nice to have a guide…?” He says hesitantly. “I’m Naruto.”

“I know. Sasuke.”

“Huh...? Uhm.. okay? Alright... Sasuke... When will we go?”

“How about after you have eaten? I don't like to stay in cities for long.”

Naruto nods, still utterly confused about the stranger - no, Sasuke. What are his real motivations and what would he gain out of guiding Naruto? And what was with that cryptic statement ‘I know.’?

He pulls Kurama on his lap to stroke his fur.

“This is the right decision, right, buddy?” He asks quietly. The fox only hums lowly, not even bothering to open his eyes.

The rest of the meal is spent in silence.

\---

When the trio steps out of the city Sasuke sighs loudly making Naruto jump a little.

“Ah. I’m so glad to be out of there,” the man mutters, more to himself than to Naruto.

Then he shrugs out of his dark cape.

This certainly isn't what Naruto had expected.

Sasuke shakes the large appendages sprouting out of his back, the feathers rustle softly as the appendages unfold and spread to their full size.

The blonde stands there and gapes in awe as the slightly wrinkled feathers of Sasuke's large black wings slide to their rightful place. Flapping twice the wings fold neatly on Sasuke’s back.

“You have… wings,” Naruto gasps out still in awe about the beautiful dark feathers.

“Yeah and it's a real pain to wear them hidden behind my cape. It was really getting uncomfortable.”

“Why are you hiding them?” Naruto whispers. “They are too beautiful to be hidden.”

Sasuke laughs softly, a sound that does weird things to Naruto’s stomach.

“You don't need to flatter me. I hide them because they are too large. Have you seen the crowds in there? In such crowded places I can't spread my wings without being afraid of getting caught somewhere or otherwise injuring them. It's easier to just hide them under a cape and not constantly having to worry about whether kids find it funny to pluck my feathers.”

“Ah,” says Naruto, still speechless from Sasuke’s appearance without the cape.

He is lean and tall, has midnight black hair that matches his dark eyes and dark wings. The man is beautiful.

Slightly flushed, Naruto turns his eyes away, he had totally been staring.

“So, I think a real introduction is necessary,” Sasuke says. “My name is Uchiha Sasuke, of the dark elves from the north. You, are the Uzumaki’s prince on a search for his sister, the Uzumaki’s heiress and I am now your guide.”

Naruto gapes. He fears that he would permanently forget to speak around this stunning being. Not only has he  _ wings _ he is also an  _ Uchiha  _ and he  _ knows  _ about him.

He clears his throat.

“Yes, I’m Uzumaki Naruto, of the Uzumaki elves from the east. Thank you for your guidance.”

They both bowed in true elven fashion.

“Your mother has informed all kingdoms about your quest.”

“That is why you knew me already?”

The Uchiha ignores the rhetorical question.

“I believe you had some questions about the Uchiha,” says Sasuke. “Ask away.”

Naruto sputters, he fears that he now permanently is as red as a tomato. But he doesn't miss the chance to learn more.

“What folk are you?”

“We are an ancient family, almost as old as the Senju. My ancestors bred amongst Angels instead of humans as most elves. That is where we got our wings from. In our society, there are still living many angels, which is why we have built our homes on top of the larges mountains, to get closer to the heavens and the home of our angelic brethren.”

Naruto drinks in every word like a sponge.

“You know, had you asked the right persons, you would have gotten this information much faster. You got to be the only one who goes to a  _ human  _ seller to inquiry about elven folk.”

Naruto sputters.

“Anyways, we should get going, who knows what your sister’s been up to. Can your fox run?”

“Huh?”

Sasuke smirks. This blond elf was entirely too amusing. He whistles and out of the shadows of the trees emerges a huge black dire wolf with ice blue eyes.

“I suggest you take your fox. My wolf and I like to run.”

Naruto blinks as Kurama grows to his full form.

“Interesting, little Uchiha,” Kurama drawls. “It's been a while since I raced against a dire wolf.”

Naruto can only try to understand the whole situation before Kurama lifts him on his back.

A second later they are running through the woods.

Their journey to the north has begun.

Only time could tell what the fates have in store for them and whether or not they would be able to find the lost princess.


	3. Rest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 by Yuineko.

Kurama took on the challenge to heart and in his full form had raced against the other’s direwolf through the woods, with speed that even the strongest of winds would take envy of. In spite of this, the equally large wolf kept at their side as its dark haired master smirked, first at the fox and then at its blond rider.

The surprise had worn off from Naruto's face by then and was replaced by a desire to win as he held on tighter to Kurama’s fur. 

They sped through the thick wood, the tall dark trees almost blocking out whatever sunlight should still be available at the time. Since neither of them wanted to admit defeat, they had covered quite a bit of ground in just one afternoon.

Naruto’s ears picked up the sound of flowing water a few miles ahead. He was sure his companions picked up on that as well, as they continued to race, changing directions towards it. Kurama stopped right at the edge of the water so suddenly that Naruto flew over his back and straight into the river. His falling face first from riding the fox was starting to become a habit and he wasn’t happy with it one bit.

"Brat, what exactly do you think you're doing?" Naruto raised an eyebrow at Kurama, which was promptly ignored and the fox favoured to look at the dismounting Uchiha. “Well, it seems you beating me will be a long way off?”

"You won by merely a stride, I think you're not as active as you used to be?" the dark haired elf stroked his wolf and murmured, “You did well,” giving it a fond smile.  
Naruto looked between the two of them without a word. He was worried at how his fox companion was taking the insult; after all, Kurama believed himself the pride of Uzushiogakure, the fastest in the realm. But the elf prince knew for a fact that Kurama had been lazing off far too often back at home, and it seemed that might have affected his speed.

He, however, chose to hold his tongue for once.

The winged elf looked over at the still drenched blond. “Dobe, aren't you getting a bit cold?”

Naruto opened his mouth a bit in shock, stood up and out of the waters. Holding out his hand, a ball of wind started to form and in a gust he was dry. 

Sasuke looked impressed at this. “So, this is the Uzumaki secret, then? You control wind?” he guessed as he smiled, which made Naruto’s stomach do a backflip, but he didn’t answer. “We rode quite a ways and didn’t even notice. I apologize for at least not letting you stay a night at the Senju.”

The comment made Naruto groan a little. He should have at least showed his face to his Aunt Mito and gathered a bit more information. He was slowly starting to question his immediate decision of following after this “guide” just because he was good looking.

However, he had decided to be as rash as his sister, had he not?

“We can stay here for the night,” continued Sasuke as he surveyed the area near the river. “Tomorrow we will ride a lot farther since the next populated area may be a few days away. We can get there a lot faster should your fox decide a want for another race?”

Kurama narrowed his eyes but Naruto knew his fox already agreed.

“Hmph,” grumbled the fox, annoyed, as he returned to his smaller size and jumped into Naruto’s arms. The elf prince absentmindedly started to stroke Kurama’s fur, almost automatically, already used to this.

“Won’t you tell me more about your search?”

Both elves started to gather wood and setting up camp, which just meant finding large enough logs to sit around for. Once the wood was set, Naruto started searching for stones he could use to start the fire with.

He heard a snap of fingers, and looked up at Sasuke’s smirking face as a roaring fire burned between them.

“You say the Uchiha has bred with angels and yet you have power over fire. How curious.”

The winged elf merely shrugged and sat down on one of the logs; Naruto did the same.

Your princess heiress, your sister, why did she leave?” Sasuke searched through his things, found two apples and thew one at the blond.

“I honestly don’t know. I knew she was hard-headed like my mother. But she never showed signs of not wanting to succeed, so it was disturbing news for her to abandon us the way she did. All she left was a letter telling us it wasn’t for her.” He reached into his inside pocket and showed it to Sasuke, who gave it a brief glimpse. “We have sent out search caravans for her multiple times and have reached out to other elf realms to no luck. It was a desperate plea from my mother’s lips that pushed me forward into this… finding her. I knew I had to make the choice.”

Sasuke looked on into the fire and cast a sideways glance at the man.

“I find what your sister did to be very selfish. To abandon one’s people without even giving a proper reason.”

Naruto wanted to agree, even though part of him felt offended on Karin’s behalf. He loved his sister, but the mystery of her abandonment weighed upon him now that the other elf had voiced it. He was hurting, but still wanted to give his sister the benefit of the doubt and believe that somehow there was reason for what she did.

“How did you know who I was, anyway?” Naruto asked once the fire warmed his hands. “I could have been anyone, how come you were so trusting?”

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “I was told the Uzumaki are very secluded, but their prince sure is dimwitted. For the next in line of succession, you know nothing about the continent.”

“Don’t call me dimwitted! I’ve never gone as far as the Namikaze House to visit my dad’s relatives. And I’m not next in line,” he said, sighing. “If I don’t find my sister, the Uzumaki will be no more.”

Sasuke arched his eyebrows at that, but Naruto continued, “Tell me, how did you know who I was?”

“Queen Kushina has sent letters to every kingdom. The whole continent knows about the lost princess by now, as well as her brother’s quest to find her. So why the North?” Sasuke asked, effectively dispersing the haze that has started to cloud over Naruto’s eyes. 

“If she’s as reckless as I remember her to be, an unknown region would be the best place to hide,” Naruto responded and bit into the apple he was given.

“A somewhat sound reasoning, coming from someone who looks like they don’t think much,” and Sasuke smirked again.

Suddenly Naruto whipped around, staring into the other’s face. “Tell me more about the North, what I am to expect and look out for when we reach your lands?”


	4. A clue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a collab a few SNS shippers started on Discord. Each chapter will be written by a different author, and in the end of the chain, we will have a full story full of SNS feels and awesome writing! It's still under a working title. You can also follow updates on tumblr, under the tag [SNS chain fic](https://www.tumblr.com/tagged/sns-chain-fic).
> 
> If you'd like to join the SNS Discord, just contact [maries](https://archiveofourown.org/users/maries/profile) or send her a message on [tumblr](https://dobe-and-teme.tumblr.com/post/160741423783/discord). Don't be shy, we'd love to have you there!
> 
> Also, the dialogue in _italics_ is of animal characters talking amongst themselves. Only animals can understand that speech.
> 
>  
> 
> **Chapter 4 by JustAnAvidReader.**

Kurama was an ancient being. Truly ancient, even by elven standards. He had been wandering the world since the elves and dwarfs came about. A freaking mere dire wolf should have _not_ been able to almost best him in a race! Oh, on the morrow he would surely show the damned beast who was better! Granted, he had been rather lazy for the past two hundred or so years, since he joined Naruto on a plea from the Uzumaki queen.

That decided, Kurama lets himself relax on his brat’s arms as he enjoys being petted so nicely. It had come as a shock to him how much he actually enjoyed it. Him, an old and powerful beast, that brought fear to the hearts of men, practically purred in delight every time Naruto started petting him.

A chuckle brought him out of his musings. Kurama turns his eyes to look at the dire wolf by his side and sneers. Continuing to ignore the conversation between his elf and the Uchiha, Kurama adjusts his diminutive body to try and get more comfortable.

“ _It was a pleasant run,_ ” the dire wolf says in a gruff voice as he seated himself by the fox's side.

“ _Hm._ ”

“ _Truly, it was an honor, Kurama-sama._ ”

“ _Flattery and using our old tongue won’t give you any points, annoying brat_.”

" _Not flattery, merely a stating of facts._ "

" _What is your name, runt?_ "

_"My winged-boy calls me Suzanoo._ "

_"Like that old bastard that called himself a god?"_

_"Just so."_

_"Hm,"_ Kurama hums absentmindedly, as an idea starts to form in his brain. _"Tell me,_ pup _, on those letters sent to every realm, was the description of the princess provided as well?"_

_"Not any that my winged-boy has shared with me, no,"_ Suzanoo answers as he bites a morsel of food Sasuke had thrown his way once he had settled down by the fire by Kurama's and Naruto's side.

Kurama nods thoughtfully and decides upon acting on his idea. If he couldn't trust his absent-minded elf to ask the pertinent questions, he would. Honestly, asking about the North instead about his sister…

" _Did you ran by a redheaded girl, about the same height as my brat, using spectacles?_ "

" _Loud as a banshee?_ "

Kurama chuckles, amused. Naruto petts him some more, always pleased when the fox showed some amusement. " _Yes, just like that._ "

" _Then yes, we have. Why_?" Suzanoo asks, narrowing his eyes.

" _That would be our Princess Heir._ "

A slight shudder runs through the dire wolf's body. _"She's a nightmare, is what she is. She would follow my winged-boy around like a lovesick puppy. Half the time draping herself over S'uke, half the time screeching at an often time ally of ours, a nice if not annoying shark-boy,_ " he huffs before continuing. " _Took us almost a month to get rid of her._ "

"What?!" Kurama barks, angry. Rising up to confront the wolf, who in turn rose to all four legs in a defensive stance.

"Whoa Kurama, calm down!" Naruto tries to calm the fox down from his posturing. "What is going on?"

"Suzanoo! Come here," Sasuke orders his dire wolf to his side.

Kurama growls, but lets himself be soothed by his little elf, marginally. "Your new _ally_ ," he spats, "has passed by Karin."

"WHAT?!?!" Naruto screeches, standing-up and nearly dropping Kurama.

"This is very news to me," Sasuke answers, as he lifts his hands up and drawing his wings close, trying to seem non-threatening. Kurama recognizes it as a smart move. Fine, he would give the brat a chance to explain.

"Your _pup,_ " Kurama says condescendingly, "has just informed me it took you almost a month to get rid of her."

"WHAT?!" Naruto once again screeches as he discreetly makes his hand approach the dagger he kept by his waste.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! I know nothing about getting rid of you princess, but there was an annoying, albeit really smart and good healer, girl-elf that was..." Sasuke hesitates groans, "that was trying to 'get in my pants.'” He takes a deep breath, composing himself, and continues. “She was nice. But I was _not_ interested. So Suzanoo and I ran as fast as we could away from her."

Naruto narrows his eyes, and Kurama could tell his brat was not yet willing to believe just yet. Nor was he, really. "Ok, say I believe you. Why didn't you make her turn back home, huh?"

"Because I knew not then she was the princess heir! The only message we got so far North was that the Uzumaki prince, Naruto, was looking for the princess heir. No name and no description of the princess," Sasuke answers calmly, his face serene.

Kurama decides then that the smug bastard did not deserve a chance to explain anymore. He growls a little more, for good measure.

"Also, she looks nothing like you. So when I saw you, it is natural I thought all Uzumaki looked like you."

Naruto sighs, relaxing slightly. "No, it's just me and dad that look like this. I take after the Namikaze's coloring… All other Uzumakis are redheaded."

"Hn," is all the winged-brat deigned to respond. Kurama is starting to really not like him.

"Well, at least now I know you know Karin, so my job should be slightly easier. And you knowing her just prove I was right! She totally went north!" Naruto finishes cheerfully, with a big grin.

Sasuke smirks and nods, conceding the point. "Last I heard her, she was talking how interesting she had found the rumors about Orochimaru, an old snake-shifter, to be. But it was about two weeks ago. She could be anywhere by now," he sighs and sits down by the fire, visibly relaxing. His dire wolf sits by his side, quickly dropping his head over his front paws, readying himself to sleep. "On the morrow, I'll lead the way to where I last saw her and we can start searching for her."

"Sounds like a plan," Naruto agrees, sitting down as well by the log he was using before, and makes himself comfortable, with Kurama still on his lap, to sleep. Very quietly, he adds: "Just you wait, mom. Very soon I'll find Karin and will be back home before you know it. Believe it."

Kurama huffs, amused, and adjusts his position in order to fall asleep. He has the feeling he will be running much, much more.


	5. Head in the Clouds

When morning had finally come, Sasuke was already up and moving about.  Squinting in the dim light of the slowly rising sun, blue eyes watched as the Uchiha moved about the campsite with a strong sense of presence and grace.  It was kind of like watching something from another world.  The Uchiha people really were unlike anything he’d ever seen before, or at least Sasuke was.

“If you’re up already, you could at least help out.”

The voice broke the silence that had been hanging in the air and, with a small huff, Naruto pushed himself up.  He had laid against Kurama for warmth throughout the night, and without it, the chill of the morning air had bumps forming along his skin.

Tired and mumbling to himself, Naruto immediately drew closer to the fire both for its added warmth as well as to help the Uchiha with breakfast.  Apparently the other male had caught them fish before sun up, and was now currently scaling them and piercing them over a long stick, which would be hung over the fire.

They scaled the fish in comfortable silence, and Naruto somehow got the feeling that he had done this before.  Maybe not this exactly, but something about being with Sasuke like this felt so familiar.  He wasn’t sure why, seeing as he was certain he’d never seen a creature of such beauty in all his years, but having known each other for only less than a day, he felt rather that they had already been friends for a long time now.

The first stick was placed over the fire, heating up the fish as the two men continued to work on the rest of the fish.  The blond had no idea how the man had managed to catch so much, but was too tired to really ask about it.  He was thankful, because he knew Kurama was going to need the energy today just as much, if not even _more_ than he would.  Sasuke’s dire wolf as well – _Suzanoo_ , Sasuke had called him.

Kurama’s ears twitched.  It was a tell-tale sign that the fox was waking up.  Kurama had been with Naruto his entire life – there was no one else, not even his family, that he felt closer to.  Their bond was that of like brothers, even though their race and blood were different.

Kurama had taken on the size of a large dog throughout the night to offer more warmth to Naruto, who had snuggled up against him happily.  Another twitch of his ears, a sniff, and then blood red eyes opened, moving over to finally land on he and Sasuke.  They silently acknowledged each other before Kurama went about stretching and yawning, as he normally did when he woke up.  Both Naruto and Kurama were slow risers, but after getting some food in them, they were the perfect dynamic duo.

The fox moved to a sitting position on the opposite side of the fire, watching his elf and their new companion quietly.  The dire wolf was lying by Sasuke’s side, his head down as an obedient sign of respect towards his owner.  Kurama sneered internally.  That pup was still wet behind the ears when compared to him, but he couldn’t deny that he was strong.  He had potential.  The fox wondered if the same could be said for his human.

By the time the fish had finished cooking, a pleasant smell hung in the air, causing Naruto’s stomach to grumble.  He blushed, embarrassed, as Sasuke removed the stick from above the flames, a smirk on his pale face.  He blew on them a few times before removing two of the fish and immediately dropping them on the ground in front of Suzanoo.

Kurama unintentionally licked his lips as he watched the wolf begin to eat, but wasn’t disappointed when the next two fish were tossed at his feet.  He immediately got to work on eating the perfectly cooked meat.

Naruto, who had been waiting (in)patiently, received his share next.  A single fish for him, and the last fish for Sasuke.  Once they were all served, Sasuke placed the second stick over the fire, cooking the second batch of fish.  The blond looked at Sasuke, and as if already understanding, he simply explained, “if we’re going North, we’ll need the extra strength.”

Naruto nodded, turning back to his fish and eating it while it was still hot.  His thoughts turned to his sister, as they often tended to do.  He often blamed himself that she ran away, even if it wasn’t entirely rational.  If he had just been a better brother, maybe he could have shown Karin that all she needed was right there in the Uzumaki village.  Their parents had assured him time and again though – Karin had left because there was something else out there in the world that called to her.  None of them knew what it was – experience, adventure, companionship – all they knew was that she was gone, and without her, the Uzumaki name would wither away.

He could see his mother’s tearful face in his mind as clear as day, and he vowed that he would not let that happen.  He would find his sister and he would bring her home.  He’d go to the ends of the earth and back again if it meant getting his sister back safely.

His thoughts were interrupted by a second fish being handed to him.  He hadn’t quite finished the first, and Sasuke chided him for it.  He quickly ate after that, eager to set out for the day.

The sun was fully above the horizon now, bringing with it a soft warmth.  Naruto went about putting out the fire as Sasuke slung his cloak over himself, once again concealing the beautiful black wings underneath.

Kurama had sized up again, just a bit bigger than the dire wolf (Naruto idly wondered if the fox had some sort of complex with the wolf that had nearly showed him up), and Naruto climbed on top of his back.  Sasuke did the same with Suzanoo, and before he knew it they were already taking off, Kurama just a few paces behind as they followed the raven haired male’s lead.

“So where was the last place you saw my sister?”  Naruto asked, glancing over at Sasuke.

“It was about two weeks ago.  We split up after she mentioned wanting to meet with Orochimaru.  It was the perfect place for our paths to part, so I took the opportunity and ran with it.”

Sasuke hadn’t had any regrets taking off like he did, and while he knew it was impossible for him to have known that she was the princess at the time, he still felt somewhat accountable for her now.

“It was in a village to the northeast.  Although, getting there will be difficult, especially if you’ve never gone before.”

The blond tilted his head a bit, gripping onto Kurama a little harder as they cleared a jump.

“What makes it so difficult to get there?”

“The clouds.”

“Clouds?”  Naruto blinked, confused.

“Yes.  The Cloud Village sits atop a fiercely rocky mountainous terrain, and getting through that is hard enough as it is.”  Sasuke spoke, his dark eyes focused in front of them.

“But what really makes it nearly impossible is the clouds.  They’re so high up, the village is literally in the clouds.  When you’re up there, everything looks the same.  A normal person could stay lost there forever.  Many have perished in their attempts to go there.”

Naruto gulped.  It wasn’t that he was afraid, but he couldn’t help but think of what it must have been like for those who had failed to get there – how lost they must have felt.

He hoped Karin wasn’t feeling lost right now.

_He was going to find her, damn it!_

“So then what’s the plan?”  Naruto asked, wheat brows furrowing.

Sasuke sighed under his breath, just quiet enough that Naruto wouldn’t hear the exasperation in it.

“Do I really need to explain something so simple to you?”

“Ehhh?!  If it were so simple, so many people wouldn’t have gotten lost, right?”  Naruto’s nostrils flared angrily as he defended himself.

“Those who threw their lives away so recklessly deserved it.”  Sasuke spoke, his voice icy and lacking empathy.

“Only an idiot would attempt to find the Village hidden in the Clouds without an animal companion with them.”  Sasuke continued before Naruto had the chance to counter him.

“Huh?  What do you mean?”  The blond blinked, hopelessly confused.

“He _means_ kit, that a human’s senses aren’t sharp enough alone to find their way.”

Naruto was quiet a moment.  “Yeah, but I’m an elf.  We have exceptional senses.  Surely I would—”

“No, not even an elf could have made it there on their own.”  Sasuke corrected.

“But Karin was—”

“The princess only made it there because of me.”  Sasuke noted flatly.  “If she had attempted it on her own, just as I had informed her then, she wouldn’t have made it out alive.”

Naruto scowled at Sasuke’s back.  He had more faith in both his and his sister’s abilities, but the bastard didn’t have to be so blunt about it.

_He’s right, kit._

Naruto huffed.  There wasn’t any use fighting it further if even Kurama was backing him up.  For now, he’d keep his mouth shut.

The four continued to travel in silence.  The terrain only got rougher and rockier as they continued on, to the point where Naruto wouldn’t have been able to continue on his own without Kurama’s help.

They bounced off of rocky cliffs, leaped over jagged ledges, and scaled heights that towered over them.  Suzanoo was of course leading the way, but Kurama was following quickly behind, never missing a single beat.  It was almost as if the two were making a competition of it somehow.

Naruto just shook his head.  It didn’t matter how they got there – just that they _did_ get there.  And he hoped, he _prayed_ , to whatever gods or deities that might hear him out, that somehow his sister would still be there.  That he could find her and talk some sense into her and finally bring her home.

The clouds had grown thick, just as Sasuke had told them they would.  What had started off as a fine mist had changed to a heavy fog, and now it was impossible to tell up from down, left from right.  It was a shocking void of white in every direction, and Naruto could imagine becoming quickly overwhelmed if he weren’t with Kurama.  The blond pat the fox subconsciously, thankful that he was there with him.

It was at least another hour until Naruto was able to see the sky again.  Piercing blue slivers cutting through the endless clouds.  The elf could feel that they had come a far way up.  There was less air, making it more difficult to breathe than normal.  The air felt thinner – it was unlike anything the blond had ever experienced before.

And then something began to take form in the distance.  The silhouette of buildings began to take shape through the slowly thinning layer of clouds.

“I can see it!”  Naruto exclaimed excitedly.

Another minute and they had finally breached the clouds.  There before them stood a gigantic entrance way.  Carvings of clouds decorated it, and Naruto couldn’t help but be held in awe at the craftsmanship.

It had been a long day.  Naruto let out a tired, heaving sigh of relief now that they were finally here.  Kurama just huffed, reminding Naruto of who exactly had done all the work today.  Naruto scratched Kurama’s scruff in thanks.

“Your works done for now, Kura.”

The large fox wasted no time shrinking down into his smaller size.  Just small enough that he could jump up into Naruto’s arms and allow his human to take the reins.  Kurama was usually a bit feistier than this – it was a sign that he was really worn down.  The blond elf set about petting the foxes fur gently, silently praising him for his hard work.  Kurama purred contentedly in his arms.

Sasuke had also dismounted and was walking alongside Suzanoo now.  If the creature had the ability to change his size like Kurama, he wasn’t putting it to use now.

“Where to now?”  Naruto pressed as they entered what looked to be a large, central plaza.

“We’ll find some food and ask around about your sister – see if anyone’s heard or seen from her since I was here last.”

Sasuke motioned for Naruto to follow, and the prince proceeded to do so.  There first stop was a tavern of sorts.  Sasuke seemed to be familiar with the owner, as they spoke casually to one another.  They were seated and brought hot drinks.  The moment they were alone, Naruto turned to face the other.

“You know this guy, right?”  He pressed.  “Why didn’t you ask about my sister?”

“Patience, Naruto.”  Sasuke frowned.  “You need to play chummy with people before they’ll spill information like that.”

Naruto just gawked.  Socializing advice from _this_ guy?

“Wouldn’t he just tell you flat out?”  Naruto questioned.

“Things work a little differently here.”  The raven paused to sip at his drink.  “People are more conservative.  There aren’t a lot of outsiders here, so they keep to themselves.  If they saw someone who was clearly an outsider, such as you or your sister,” he motioned to Naruto as if to say ‘just look at you.’  The blond wasn’t sure if he should feel offended or not.  “people would notice.  But like I said, they’re not particularly keen on outsiders, and while I may have a few ins here, I’m still an outsider as well.”

Naruto huffed, leaning back in his seat impatiently.  Logically, of course he knew he wasn’t going to arrive and just find Karin like that.  He _knew_ that.  But that didn’t change the way his heart skipped with the hope of finally seeing her again.  At the possibility that she was here and he could find her at any given time.  He was close, he could _feel_ it.

The man returned to their table, and while they hadn’t ordered anything, he had brought out two full plates of food.

“I’m sure you boys are hungry.  On the house,” he smiled kindly as he sat the plates down.

“I’ll get these guys something too.”  He motioned to Kurama, who sat next to Naruto, and the large wolf at Sasuke’s feet.  Naruto had thought bringing such a large beast inside would have been frowned down upon, but the owner hadn’t batted an eye.  Sasuke said they weren’t fond of outsiders, but this guy seemed pretty nice to him.

After instructing another worker to bring some food for their furry friends as well, the man pulled up a chair and sat backwards on it, resting his arms on the back rest.

“Kazuma, by the way.  I take it you’re a friend of Sasuke’s.”  He nodded his head at Naruto, who smiled and nodded back.  He was honestly happy when Sasuke didn’t immediately deny that they were friends, despite having known each other for so little time.

“So, what brings you back to these parts so soon?  Last I saw you, you couldn’t get out of here fast enough.”

Sasuke sighed at the memory.  “Yes, well, plans changed.”

Kazuma simply nodded at the vague response.

“You boys staying the night?”

“We plan to.”  Sasuke answered.  “We’re actually looking for someone, so I can’t say how long we’ll be sticking around this time.”

This seemed to pique the older man’s interest.  “You’re looking for someone, eh?  You know not too many people come through here, especially these days.  Times are hard.”

Sasuke merely nodded.

“The last time I was here, I was with two other people.  Do you happen to remember them?”  The raven asked casually, taking a bite of his food.  Naruto had been listening whilst digging into his own food, Kurama hopping down when meat was delivered for both him and Suzanoo.

“ _Remember_ them?  How could I _forget_ a pair like that?”  Kazuma laughed.  “Those two fought like they’d been married for years.”

The Uchiha tried to keep the scowl from taking over his features.  They hadn’t been exactly his best travel companions, particularly once they were put together, but that was beside the point now.

“The girl – _Karin_ – she and I separated two weeks ago from here, and I was wondering if you’ve seen her around?”

Kazuma hummed, as if he needed to think the question over.  Naruto was on the edge of his seat, literally, his food half chewed in his mouth as he awaited an answer.

“Well, I think I might have seen her one other time at the Thursday market.  She’s kind of hard to miss, what with that flaming red hair and all.”

“This past Thursday?”  Sasuke tried not to seem like he was pressing for information too hard, talking as if he would about something as mundane as the weather.

“Yeah, pretty sure that’s right.”  He nodded.

“Sasuke!  That means she was here just _five_ days ago!  She might still be here then!”  Naruto had shot up out of his seat excitedly.

Kazuma looked a bit startled at Naruto at first, then laughed.  “So you’re the one who’s looking for her, eh?  What relationship do you have with her?”

“She’s my sister.”

“Oh?  I can’t see the resemblance too well...”  The man squinted, as if trying to conjure an image of the girl in his mind to compare to the blond in front of him.

“Yeah, we kinda get that a lot.”  The blond scratched at the back of his head, looking bashful.  “She’s got my dad’s face, but my mom’s hair, and I ended up with my mom’s face, dad’s hair.”  He chuckled.

“You sound like a good kid... Naruto, was it?”

The blond nodded emphatically.

“Well, I do hope you’re able to find your sister.”  He smiled again, nodding as he stood up to allow them to finish their meals.

“Have you talked to that old hag yet?”

“We just got in, actually.”  Sasuke responded.

“Old hag?”  Naruto piped in.

“She’s a medicine woman who lives here.  She’s…”  Sasuke started, unsure of how to finish.

“Haha, no shame in it.  She’s infamous for being the gossiper of the village.  If anyone’s born, if someone’s throwing a party, or if someone simply crossed the street – that Nonnie will likely know about it.”  Kazuma laughed.  “Let’s just say you don’t wanna do anything you wouldn’t want your own mother knowing about while you’re here.”

Turning with a wave, he offered one last smile.  “You didn’t hear any of this from me, of course.”

“Of course.”  Naruto saluted, earning another chuckle from the man as he left.

“So, this Nonnie…?”  Naruto immediately turned towards the man sitting across from him, curious blue eyes looking into deep obsidian imploringly.

“She’s our next stop.”


	6. we will walk away from empty gold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter title comes from 'empty gold' by halsey!

Naruto and Sasuke finished their meals quickly and headed out to find Nonnie not half of an hour later, thanking Kazuma for his hospitality.

Nonnie lived in the middle of the village- according to Sasuke- the center of all. Because of her placing, and the fact the woman had spies nearly everywhere, her home was considered ‘Gossip Central’- you could find out anything you wanted there. Unfortunately for them, the center of the Cloud Village was still quite a walk from where they were, on the outskirts of it.

The walk over was silent, only the sound of leaves crunching under their feet filling the air, as Sasuke walked beside Susanoo and Naruto beside Kurama. Naruto itched to say something and end the silence, but they reached the old woman’s home without a word spoken between them.

The thatched roof home was bigger than Naruto had been expecting- though still smaller than any of the other homes they had passed on their way here-, for an older woman who lived alone. He supposed Nonnie had children and grandchildren who often came to visit- perhaps that extra room was for them. It was a fairly modest hut on the outside, too- no decorations of any kind- just plain markings. Outside, there were clothes out on a clothing line, drying in the cool air under the sun. Naruto frowned at some of the clothing choices, some of them obviously the kind you wouldn’t find an older woman wearing.

Sasuke seemed to notice the same thing, a small frown tugging at his lips. "I don't remember anyone living with Nonnie last time I was here."

"And how long ago was that?"

"A while, but not that long ago." The other pursed his lips. Suspicion lingered in traces on his face. "I checked in with her about a month or so before I met your sister. She didn’t have anyone living with her then."

"Maybe whoever it is just moved in recently."

Sasuke made a noise- not one of disagreement, but not one of agreement either. He placed a hand on the back of Susanoo and walked forward, leaving Naruto and Kurama to follow behind.

Kurama bristled as they made their way forward, sniffing the air once. “Something’s not right.”

Naruto didn’t understand what he was talking about. _He_ couldn’t sense anything wrong with the place himself, but animal’s senses were greater and generally more reliable than an humans- or elves, in this case- were. Sasuke hummed in agreement. “But I don’t think it’s too much to worry about. The village must’ve appointed someone to live with Nonnie and help her around the house. Besides, we don’t have the option of turning around- you need answers about Karin’s whereabouts, don’t you? Nonnie is your best bet.”

Kurama made a huffing noise, and Naruto was still struggling to figure out just _what_ was wrong with all of this. Was there something he was missing out on? Some gut feeling, maybe?

Naruto concluded that he was traveling with two very over-paranoid companions.

Susanoo, obviously aware of the routine, laid himself on the ground before the house, lying his head on his front legs and making himself comfortable on the ground before the door. Naruto looked at Sasuke questionably and wondered if he should have Kurama do the same, but Sasuke only shrugged.

“Nonnie’s place isn’t quite big enough for a wolf the size of Susanoo. Or a fox beast like Kurama, for that matter, but he can shrink to the size of a household cat, so he should be fine.”

With that, Sasuke knocked on the door and Kurama shrunk to his smaller form. Naruto picked him up, giving the fox a rest, and before long, the door opened, revealing a young woman, with red hair and dark skin. Yellow, blazing eyes looked over them and Naruto felt himself shiver with the intensity of it, but after a moment, the intensity lessened considerably as she smiled at them politely and softly, something that felt… off. Strained. Sasuke straightened at the sight of her, stepping back in a way that could be taken as giving her room, but being behind him, Naruto could see him reaching for a weapon he hadn’t known Sasuke was carrying, a finger placed on the end of it for caution. He concluded that Sasuke had never seen this stranger before in his life.

“You must be travelers, judging by your clothes,” the young woman began. She dropped the smile for an inquiring look. “May I help you with something?”

“We’re here to see Nonnie,” Naruto piped up when Sasuke didn’t say anything, grinning at her widely. Sasuke was a bit of a grump, Naruto kept realizing in the short little while he had known him. That meant it interfered with his people skills and often led to times like this. “May we see her?”

“Ah, yes, come in.” She stepped to the side, allowing them to enter into the small home. They did so and she gestured to a small table in the front room surrounded by four wooden chairs, while closing the door behind them. All sorts of herbs and the like were growing in pots in one corner, and the air smelled strongly of them. “Sit- make yourselves comfortable. Would you like some tea?”

Naruto hummed excitedly, sitting down on one of the wooden chairs with a small, cute little pillow- hand stitched with a greeting of ‘ _Welcome_ ’, Kurama settling at his feet. Sasuke sat in the chair across from him. “Yes please. You, Sasuke?”

“I’ll pass, but thank you for the offer.”

The woman- who they still had yet to learn the name of- nodded and made her way into what Naruto guessed was the kitchen, bustling around in there as she prepared Naruto’s tea. When she returned, placing a cup in front of Naruto and a cup for herself in hand, she sat in the third chair across from Naruto, taking a sip from the cup and placing it on the table.

“I’m Karui,” she said, smoothing out the skirt of her dress over her legs. Karui looked up at them again with a thoughtful look. “I apologize for not introducing myself earlier- I had other things on my mind. You’re here for Nonnie, correct?”

“Yes. Where is she?”

“I told her there were visitors here, so she should be out in a moment-”

“Ah, Sasuke, how wonderful to see you again!”

An old woman smiled at them from one of the doorways, and her presence felt warm and welcome. For an old woman, however, she seemed very mobile, not gripping onto the wall to keep her upright. Naruto watched was Sasuke’s shoulders relaxed slightly at the sight of her.

“Nonnie, I’m glad to see you’re doing just fine.”

Nonnie’s smile grows. “Of course- well, I’ve been better, but Karui’s been very kind as to help me around the house since she moved in.”

Suddenly, Nonnie started, as if something had just occurred to her that hadn’t before. “Oh, my, you two haven’t met officially, have you? Sasuke, this is Karui, my granddaughter. She’s moved in with me for the time being, what with me growing older and all. Her father is worried about me,” she whispered the last sentence loudly, as if it’s supposed to be a secret, but everyone can hear it and there was a playful glint in her eyes. “Karui, dear, this is the young man I’ve been telling you about- Sasuke. And this is- oh dear, Sasuke, who have you brought along with you today?”

Naruto blinked as Nonnie turned to him, all smiles, and for a minute he forgot how to respond.

“This is Naruto of the Uzumaki House,” Sasuke replied for him. “He’s looking for his sister, and he was wondering if you had any information on where she might have gone.”

Nonnie hummed thoughtfully, settling in the last chair. She studied Naruto for a moment. “I see. Tell me, boy, what is your sister’s name?”

“Karin,” Naruto said quietly. Nonnie’s eyes lit up with recognition. “Her name is Karin. She’s been missing for months. If you have any information on her whereabouts, I’d be most grateful to know.”

“I know Karin, yes,” Nonnie took a sip of tea out of Karui’s cup, who seemed half surprised and half exasperated by the move. Naruto tried not to laugh as Nonnie put down the cup and Karui scooted the cup away from herself as if it had offended her. “She came to me, as most do, seeking information. Not gossip, unfortunately- I do _love_ discussing about this village- but… _other_ knowledge.”

“What was she looking for?” Naruto found himself asking immediately, along with some other questions at rapid fire. “What did you tell her? Do you know where she went- how long ago was this-”

“All in good time, my boy,” Nonnie interrupted. “First, I must ask something of you in return.”

It took Naruto a minute to think about what she was asking. “Money?”

“No, no, of course not,” Nonnie waved a hand. “I don’t require _money_ for _information_ like this- what I ask is much, much more simple-”

“She wishes for gossip,” Sasuke informed him, amused. “A sort of ‘trade of information’- you deliver her gossip and she tells you what you want to know.”

“As long as it’s new- it’s no fun if I don’t know it.”

Naruto’s mouth went dry. “From the Cloud Village?!”

“Of course not- I don’t expect _you_ , a foreigner, to know anything about the Cloud Village folk that I, Cloud Village _Gossip_ , don’t! I love any and all gossip. Just tell me anything- even if I don’t know the ones involved.”

Naruto was sure she wouldn’t know _anyone_ from his homeland, but he thought back on it anyway. Did… did he know of anything gossip worthy?

“Uh- I might have something that would interest you,” Naruto began, and Nonnie leaned forward excitedly, giving him her full attention.

\--

“...Is that good enough for you?”

Nonnie looked satisfied beyond measure, which was weird because what he had told her wasn’t _that_ intense, but Naruto chalked it up to her obsession with gossip. Nonnie nodded to herself. “Yes, I think that’ll do. Now, what do you wish to know about Karin?”

“Where she is, for starters,” Naruto fiddled with his cup. “..And what she was looking for, when she came to you, would be nice, too.”

The old woman leaned back in her chair slowly, and for the first time Naruto saw her wince as  she did, a sign that she wasn’t as nimble as she seemed. Karui moved at Nonnie’s side, the first time since the talk had begun that Naruto noticed her- at first like she was concerned for her grandmother’s health, but Naruto soon realized she was turning to listen to it herself. The air started to turn grave.

“About eight days ago, Karin turned up on my doorstep, asking for help. Something about the innkeeper mentioning me to her, that I could tell you anything you wanted to know. He forgot to mention that my area of expertise was in _the Cloud Village_ , not the world,” Nonnie snorted. “That would take some damn good miracles. But I let her inside, and did as I do with everyone. I asked her for gossip.”

”What did she tell you?”

“She told me she ran away from home. Grabbed some necessities, and just… left. Said she’d miss her family, but was being forced to be something she didn’t think she could be.”

Nonnie took in a deep breath. “In return, she asked where she could find the man by the name of Orochimaru- the master over snakes. I told her she shouldn’t look. Many a man had gone to him looking for power, and many a man came out corrupted. Overpowering and filled with greed. She just shook her head and told me she wasn’t looking for that kind of power.” Another shuddering breath. Naruto thought she sounded like she was dying. Or overcome with emotion. “So I told her to head west and search for the Village of the Sound, the closest place where Orochimaru was said to have people stationed. It’s a five-day journey on foot, but on the back of an animal companion, it’ll be two and a half- border lining on three. Either way, she should be there by now.”

There was a silence, a chilling, suspenseful one that Naruto was sure only he felt because a moment later, Sasuke nodded at Nonnie and stood up. “Thank you, Nonnie. We’ll be on our way now.”

“Of course, dear. Stay out of trouble and take care of yourself.”

“You too.”

Sasuke gestured Naruto to stand up too, and Naruto did hastily; finishing the rest of his tea in one gulp and smiling at the two women. “Thank you for the tea! And for the information. You don’t know how much this means to me and every one of the Uzumaki House.”

Nonnie’s eyes glinted. “You take care of yourself, Naruto. I hope you find your sister.”

Naruto nodded his head in thanks, before following Sasuke to the door, Kurama following behind them. They got as far as the front door before something occurred to him. Just before leaving, he turned back to Nonnie and Karui. “Did she say?”

“Hm?”

“You said that Karin told you she wasn’t looking for ‘that kind of power’. What she was looking for, then? Did she tell you?”

Nonnie tilted her head to the side curiously. “She said she was looking for something she hadn’t felt she had had before. Something that was worth more than one could imagine- but could never be bought. Do you know what she was looking for, from that?”

Naruto didn’t. What was worth more than you could imagine that she hadn’t had before? What was something Karin would run to- leaving her family and House alone? He couldn’t think of anything.

The blond elf shook his head.

“ _Freedom_ ,” Nonnie said, her voice soft and quiet. Karui shifted in her seat. “and power outside the usual ability of our world- _magic._ To help her keep her freedom.”

Naruto felt his heart drop. He felt it drop so far down, he swore he could feel it in the earth below them.

He nodded. “Thanks again, Nonnie. Maybe I’ll see you around.”

“I’d like that.”

* * *

 

They set out after that, Sasuke leading the way on the back of Susanoo, with Nonnie’s instructions in mind, and Naruto and Kurama following behind. It was quiet. They left the Cloud Village quickly, and Naruto felt saddened he hadn’t been able to explore like he had wanted to. But he couldn’t leave this trail to run cold. He had to follow as quickly as he could.

Out of the sight of the villagers, Sasuke took off his coat and let his wings expand freely. Naruto was entranced, watching their movements with extreme interest. His wings would forever be a sight to behold to Naruto- he’d never get used to seeing them.

As the gates of the village grow smaller the farther they go, Naruto remembered something. “Hey, Sasuke?”

“Hm.”

“How do you know Nonnie?” Naruto made a gesture on Kurama’s fur, signaling him to go faster so they could be side by side with the winged man. “Back at her house, you two seemed close. Are you?”

One of Sasuke’s wings twitched and he didn’t answer for a long, long moment. Naruto waited patiently until Sasuke took a deep breath.

“I was hurt. I had a deep gash in my side that refused to heal despite everything I tried. I tried some of my mother’s old healing herbs among other things, but I wasn’t familiar enough with it. I got the amount and mixture wrong and it ended up making the wound worse.” Sasuke stroked Susanoo’s giant ear. “I had just started traveling with Susanoo at the time, and neither of us knew where we were. The wound grew worse as time went on, and by the time we finally found a village, it was at its peak. I collapsed just inside the village gates.”

It was quiet for another moment. Then Sasuke drew in another breath. “Some of the villagers who were around took me to Nonnie. She was their medicine expert at the time, before the official doctor. She healed my wounds- an infection in the initial wound- and brought me back from the brink of death.”

Sasuke looked down at Susanoo’s fur and Naruto wanted to reach out. “I owe a lot to Nonnie, since then. I came by afterward, giving my thanks, and she helped me explore. She got me information using her connections and she- she took care of me when I needed it. I come by and help when I can, but I still owe a great deal to her.

“She healed me,” Sasuke didn’t look up at him, and Naruto continued to watch as Sasuke shifted, looking up at the road ahead of them. “In more ways than one. She helped to save me from a path I was hurling down with no way of stopping. I’ve always made a point to go and check up on her.”

“That’s admirable, I think.”

“Not really.”

They went silent again after that. Kurama sniffed the air a few times as if searching for something, but he didn’t say anything either. They traveled down the road, side by side, and they stayed like that until the sun went down and they had to set up camp for the night.

Their journey continued.

* * *

 

It was on the second day when things started to go wrong.

They packed up camp early that morning and set out as usual, and it wasn’t until noon until Kurama started to sniff the air suspiciously every mile or so. Naruto didn’t comment until Kurama suddenly slowed down at one point, sniffing the air again and again, Sasuke and Susanoo still trekking. Kurama turned as to get a better angle, and then he growled lowly.

“Kura? What’s wrong?”

Sasuke and Susanoo appeared a second later at their side, and Kurama sniffed the air again, looking around.

“Kurama?”

“Quiet! Something’s not right.”

Kurama took in a deep breath and started to growl lowly and threateningly again. “I knew it.”

“Kurama, what’s wrong?”

“I wasn’t sure of it before,” The fox beast said in a softer voice than normal- loud enough to be heard by both Sasuke and Susanoo, but not quite farther than that. “But now I’m sure. She’s been following us for some time, then, keeping to the shadows and masking her scent. I told you, Kit, something was _up_.”

“What do you mean ‘ _something was up_ ’? What’s wrong?”

Kurama pawed the ground, snarling again and gearing up for a fight. “The girl from before- in that old woman’s house. She’s _here_. She’s getting closer every second.”

“What? You mean Karui?”

The fox beast makes a sound of confirmation, and just as Kurama turned, his fangs growing and claws sharpening tenfold, there was a shouted cry of something that should be ridiculous.

“ _Sleep!”_

Naruto felt his body respond to the command and slumped forward. Kurama, the great beast Kurama of the Uzumaki House, in all his glory, fell too, sending them both to the ground. There was another loud thump behind him that Naruto just barely registers- Sasuke and Susanoo- as his eyes started to slide shut. He tried to fight the overwhelming exhaustion, just long enough to see their attacker.

Red hair. Dark skin. Yellow eyes, with all their intensity, stared down at him, and Naruto lost his hold on keeping awake from the surprise. Kurama had warned them, but Naruto hadn’t really thought-

Karui grinned at him, nudging him with her foot. “Man, I love performing that spell.”

His eyes slid shut and his mind shut down, and Naruto was fast asleep.


End file.
